


Gazelle, Wounded

by enmity



Category: Tales of Legendia, Tales of Series
Genre: F/F, Invoked Trope
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-04
Updated: 2018-12-04
Packaged: 2019-09-07 02:54:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 595
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16845742
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/enmity/pseuds/enmity
Summary: “Why do you think I haven’t let go of your hand?"





	Gazelle, Wounded

Off the vines came, sliced apart one after another by the dangerous edge of Chloe’s blade. Norma took no time at all to leap into the older girl’s arms, snuggling comfortably into her shoulder. Too comfortably. “Oh, I’m so glad! I knew you’d come to save me, C!” Norma smiled into Chloe’s dark hair as the other girl patted her head vaguely with her free hand.

“I just happened to be passing through,” Chloe said, voice even. “What would you do if I weren’t?”

“Asking the hard questions right off the bat, huh?” Norma rolled her eyes. “Don’t worry about that. All that matters is I won’t be starving to death in this cold, damp place anymore.”

“Still looking for the Everlight?”

“’Course! We saved the world; what else is there?”

Chloe could think of several things to say to that, but didn’t. Instead she sighed and tried as gingerly as possible to make Norma let her go. When that failed, Norma shot her a strange look. “C, I think I’m tired. Carry me. At least until my leg stops feeling numb— ow. Ow! I think I cut myself on something.”

“W-What!” Chloe looked indignant, but unfortunately, for her chivalry wasn’t just a word in the dictionary. So she complied, with only the slightest inclination for her lips to twist into a displeased frown. It felt nice, helping someone. Even if that someone got herself into trouble far too often for her own good. Norma’s arms wrapped snugly around her shoulders as her brown eyes drifted off into semi-slumber and Chloe snuck them both out of the forest.

“Aw,” Norma said when she was let down. “I was just having a good nap. Your bre—”

“Let’s go back to town,” Chloe said, clearing her throat. She had to blink several times at the ground for no particular reason at all. “You said you were hungry, right?”

Norma clung to her all through the walk to Werites Beacon, and Chloe had to try very hard before she concluded it was just Norma making sure she wouldn’t stumble on her bad leg and hurt herself worse. The rationalization calmed her heartrate down immensely.

“You know, C, I really was hoping you’d find me,” Norma whispered as though it was a secret of the utmost importance. They’d been walking for about thirty minutes and she hadn’t showed the slightest inclination of letting go of Chloe anytime soon. “I figured, knights, right? They’ve got a sixth sense for people in a jam. So I got myself tangled up in some ivy and sat there, waiting.”

Chloe’s eyes widened. Sometimes she couldn’t believe this girl. “What?! Why would you do that?”

“…Hey, I’m not done yet! I figured, _this is my chance! Senny is with Shirl all the time now; I bet right about now C would be going on a walk through the forest to clear her head._ And, you know, chivalry or something.” Norma shrugged.

“That’s not how any of it works,” Chloe reasoned, though about 75% of what the other girl said was true, give or take. It was almost scary. Again she asked, “Why?”

Norma’s smile deepened. “Why do you think I haven’t let go of your hand? Think, C!”

Chloe opened her mouth to say something, but whatever she’d meant to say soon dissolved into aborted syllables as she fought hard to banish the furious blush spreading across her face. And beside her was Norma, her laughter bright and clear as the sun shining down after a long rainy day, feeling truly victorious for once.


End file.
